Membrane electrolytes play a critical role in energy conversion devices. The development of stable, efficient membrane electrolytes is urgent and demands paramount attention for the successful commercialization of fuel cells. Chitosan, a naturally occurring material, and silica particles were used as precursors for organic–inorganic membrane polymers. The silica nanoparticles were prepared by the sol–gel and Stober methods and characterized using various techniques, including XRD, FTIR, etc. The silica-incorporated membranes show improved properties, with the sulfur-functionalized membranes having optimal proton conductivity, ion-exchange capacity, and tensile strength of 0.0238 S/cm, 2.86 meq/g, and 7.3 MPa, respectively. It also showed the lowest methanol permeability. This was clear proof that membrane functionalization has a positive impact on tuning the properties of electrolyte membranes and should be further explored in membrane development.

SiO₂ is a versatile inorganic substance with a wide spectrum of applications in areas such as fuel cells. In this study, pristine (p-SiO₂) and sulfonated silica (s-SiO₂) particles were synthesised using the sol–gel and Stober methods. Furthermore, this study investigated the impact of calcination time and surface changes on the morphology, and hence functionality, of silica particles synthesised as potential fuel cell membrane additives. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as a silica precursor dissolved in water, with sulfuric acid serving as the sulfonation agent. Parametric data on particle morphology, such as particle size, porosity, total surface area, and agglomeration, were measured and evaluated using BET, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The amorphous nature of silica particles was confirmed by XRD analysis. The BET outcome data acquired for the synthesised silica particles were a surface area ranging from 271 to 487 m²/g, a pore diameter of 12.10–21.02 nm, and a total pore volume of 0.76–1.58 cm³/g. These data give crucial characteristics for designing appropriate silica nanofillers for hybrid fuel cell membranes. As a result, the data gathered can be used to make future decisions about silica synthesis methods for various specific applications, such as fuel cell applications.

The pristine (p-SiO₂) and sulfonated silica (s-SiO₂) particles were created using the sol-gel and Stober methods. Furthermore, this study sought to show the impact of calcination time and surface changes on the morphology, and hence functionality, of the silica nanoparticles synthesised as potential fuel cell membrane additives. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as a silica precursor dissolved in water, with sulphuric acid serving as the sulphonation agent. Parametric data on particle morphology, such as particle size, porosity, total surface area, and agglomeration, were measured and evaluated using BET, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The amorphous nature of silica nanoparticles was confirmed by XRD analysis. The BET outcome data acquired for the synthesised silica particles were surface area ranges from 271 to 487 m²/g, pore diameter 12.10 nm - 21.02 nm, and total pore volume 0.76 - 1.58 cm³/g. This data gives crucial characteristics for designing appropriate silica nanofillers for hybrid fuel cell membranes. As a result, the gathered data can be used to make future decisions about silica synthesis methods for fuel cell applications.

Recent interests in hybrid polymers for fuel cell applications have given rise to the exploration, modification, and application of various polymer ionomers. Polymer membranes doped with suitable fillers have improved fuel cell performance compared to the pristine polymers. In this study, three ionomers, PAN, PVP, and PVA were synthesised idividually and then functionalised with zirconium phosphate nanoparticles as membrane nanofillers. The nanofibers were synthesised using the sol-gel polymerisation method from their respective precursors dissolved in either water or DMF solution. This was followed by their subsequent fabrication through the incorporation of the zirconium phosphate nanoparticles, which were synthesised from their precursor salt using the precipitation method. Techniques such as SEM, FTIR, TGA, and XRD were employed to characterise the physiochemical properties of the synthesised polymers. In addition, the electrochemical properties of the synthesised polymers were evaluated using CV and EIS. The obtained results showed that conductive nanofibers were successfully synthesized. As the scan rates increased under cyclic voltammetry, the reduction peak for PVP voltammograms disappeared, and the PAN exhibited an irreversible redox system. It is also noticeable that when scan speeds increase, the oxidation peaks for PAN voltammograms shift to higher potentials. On the other hand, the TGA results indicated that these nanoparticles had excellent thermal stabilities, making them suitable for use in fuel cell membranes under tough conditions. Based on these findings, PAN, PVA, and PVP polymer materials can be used as filler (dopant) materials for fuel cell membranes.

Zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoparticles were successfully integrated into crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) fibers with 0.01% glutaraldehyde (GA) during the electrospinning process. TEM and SEM results show the presence of zirconium phosphate nanoparticles. Under EDX, ZrP-PVP showed the presence of 4.27 weight % of Zr, proving the successful incorporation of ZrP in the PVP matrix. SEM scans reveal a smooth nanofiber in pristine PVP and a slightly rough ZrP-PVP. The resistance and conductivity of the PVP fiber nanocomposite in electrochemical cells were investigated in this work in relation to zirconium nanoparticles. ZrP-PVP and pristine PVP fibers with approximate average diameters ranging from 90 to 110 nm were observed under TEM and SEM analysis. Thermal stability and degradation at high temperatures were observed using TGA. The TGA data shows that ZrP-PVP fibers have higher thermal stability compared to pristine PVP at higher temperatures above 450 °C. It can therefore be concluded that the incorporation of ZrP in PVP enhances the thermal stability of the fibers, hence making them more suitable for fuel cell membrane applications at higher temperatures. Additionally, the electrochemical results show a slightly higher level of current flow resistance in ZrP-PVP fibers than pristine PVP fibers. Overall, the ZrP-PVP fibers are therefore promising candidates for fuel cell electrolyte fillers due to their interesting properties, such as enhanced proton conductivity and enhanced thermal stability.